Preparation and properties of urethane acrylate-epoxy interpenetrating polymer networks containing silica nanoparticles

In this study, interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) and IPN composite materials were prepared by in situ polymerization of urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) and bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether epoxy resin (DGEBA) with or without silica nanoparticles. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), three-point bending test, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and visible spectrometry were performed to evaluate the physical properties of the resulting IPNs and IPN composite materials. The IPNs showed high transparency and higher elastic modulus and strength than that of each homopolymer at ratio of UDMA/ DGEBA is 70/30. The IPN composites maintained high transparency in spite of the addition of silica nanoparticles. Moreover, elastic modulus and surface hardness of the IPN composites increased with increasing silica content.